Seabrook man pleads guilty to offering bribe

CONCORD - A Seabrook man faces up to 15 years in federal prison for bribing an IRS agent who was conducting an audit on his nail salon business in Newington.

Hoang O. Hoang, 45, pleaded guilty Thursday in U.S. District Court to one count of bribery of a public official. A news release issued by the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Hampshire, does not identify the IRS agent. A call to the U.S. Attorney's Office for comment was not immediately returned.

Hoang's business was audited on Dec. 9, 2011, by the IRS agent. According to the news release, Hoang offered to pay the agent $4,000 in the course of several conversations if the agent would reduce his business' tax liability.

On Jan. 12, 2012, Hoang paid the unnamed IRS agent a $2,295 bribe so the outcome of the audit would be a reduction in taxes.

Hoang is to be sentenced July 10.

The case was investigated by the office of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and prosecuted by assistant U.S. Attorney Arnold H. Huftalen.